


Leaena Trevelyan - Family and History

by Madelief



Series: Alpha and Omega bonus bits and bobs [6]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-14 05:00:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11776017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madelief/pseuds/Madelief
Summary: These are the notes to the fics A Moment of Eternity and the sequel Ashes of Faith. They give the background to Lea, her time in the Circle and also her family history.





	Leaena Trevelyan - Family and History

**Leaena Trevelyan**

**Family Overview**

Leaena (known as Lea to close friends and family) has three siblings. Leaena and Cadan are 32, Trystan is 36 and Caya is 37. Her father is Bann Alan Treveylan (57) and mother is Lady Elowyn Treveylan (57). They were married at 20. Bann Alan inherited his title at 17 and continued training with the Templar order although never taking full vows due to his commitments as a landowner and lord. He felt it would be a conflict of interest to do so, the first in a long line of Treveylan lords to follow such a path. Lady Elowyn is a member of the extended Harriman family of Starkhaven, although hers and Lord Alan’s was a love match rather than for any political dynasty – difficult to achieve in the Free Marches where city states maintain their autonomy. Leaena and her siblings numbered Flora, Brett and Ruxton Harriman as friends, as well as Sebastian Vael. There had been hopes of a match between her and Sebastian one day but this of course came to nothing once her magic manifested itself when she was 12.

Bann Treveylan and Lady Elowyn are progressive in their views towards the Chantry, whilst remaining devoted followers of Andraste. The believe in freedom of choice for their children and have broken away with the tradition followed by the Vael family of giving at least one child to the Chantry per generation, believing that service to Andraste is a calling rather than something imposed onto an individual. Lady Elowyn in particular believes that religion and ruling are not something that should be combined, hence why their heir, Caya, attended specialist schools with other nobility in Val Royeaux and Denerim. Trystan was fostered to various noble households in the Free Marches, Ferelden and Antiva.

**Caya Trevelyan**

Caya is married to Ser Iminric Eremon of Ferelden, Bann Alfstanna Eremon’s brother. Both she and Ser Iminric are preparing to take over control of the extensive Treveylan lands and business interests once Lady Caya gains her title. They split their time between Ostwick, the family estate on the Amaranthi Coast, or overseeing other interests in the Vimmark Mountains. They have two children, Aaron (10) and Madeline (6). Aaron is due to inherit the Bann upon Caya’s death.

**Trystan Trevelyan**

Trystan is a Templar and Knight-Captain of the Ostwick chapter, rising to Knight-Commander after the loss of the former Commander at the Conclave. All siblings were educated both at home and the Chantry, receiving both a military and scholarly education. As a result of his experiences with the Chantry, and witnessing the events in Kirkwall and seeing his own sister develop her use of magic, Trystan decided to follow the path of a Templar shortly after Leaena entered the Circle and took his vows at eighteen. He remains very close to all his family.

**Cadan Trevelyan**

Cadan felt the loss of his twin to the Circle keenly and rebelled against both the Templar Order and Chantry. Frequently skipping classes, he became adept at evading his tutors, perfecting his hunting skills whilst out in the field tracking game. A devotee of Captain Isabela’s exploits, he ran away from home at fifteen to run with the Raiders of the Waking Sea, in the hope of meeting his idol and to escape his noble lineage. By the time of the Kirkwall uprising he returned home, injured during a skirmish with the Quinari and working as the Ferelden spymaster for King Alistair and Freya Amell, Chancellor of Ferelden – the Hero of Ferelden, Warden-Commander of Ferelden and King Alistair’s long-time mistress. Alistair personally saved Cadan’s life from the Qunari raiders, recognising the potential in the young man. Obliged to a king, Cadan had no option but to accept and has been in service to the Ferelden crown ever since. That he has risen so high so quickly in service to a monarch delighted his parents, Cadan resigned to never escaping the future they had mapped out for him.

**Childhood**

Leaena herself received a distinctly non-Marchers name in comparison to her siblings. Elowyn was also not aware she was carrying twins and during labour was told that the baby would not survive. Yet both mother and baby fought hard to live and, against all the odds, the baby lived. Elowyn named her to represent the fighting spirit shown from the first, which in old Orlesian means lioness.

Leaena had a charmed upbringing, much cosseted and spoilt by her family as a result of the traumatic birth. She and Cadan were inseparable. The family spent long summers on their coastal estate or visiting with other noble houses and their children in Starkhaven, Kirkwall and Ferelden. Sometimes she’d attend state events with her parents in Nevarra and Antiva. Leaena was from a very young age a seasoned traveller – when the children could not be taught at the Ostwick Chantry a Sister and Templar accompanied them to oversee their education.

Such an upbringing saw Leaena on close terms with half of Ferelden’s nobility and she was on first name terms with all children of major houses in the Free Marches. However, her parents’ insistence that all their children be taught in the local Chantry – while also providing the opportunity for all their servants and vassals to be educated – meant Leaena numbered elves and former slaves as her friends and teachers. This led her to have an inbuilt confidence, grace and ability to communicate and negotiate with people from any race or background comfortably and persuasively – an ability that stood her in good stead when she found herself in the Circle. In spite of her indulged upbringing she had a healthy respect for the value of work and from a young age was exposed to how every person played their role in doing the work of the Maker, from the lowest scully maid to the King of Ferelden himself.

Her parents were training her to be a leader, to move and influence in the highest levels of society. And, even when her magic first appeared (she froze a half-empty pail of water Cadan was determined on throwing at her new dress), Bann Alan and Lady Elowyn reinforced that message to her over the coming years. The Treveylans felt strongly about the abuses of mages by other Circles, notably the situation in Kirkwall. They were in the minority of nobles who foresaw the break-up of the Circles and wished to prepare their daughter in every way possible for her future in an increasingly uncertain Thedas. 

Her parents were inordinately proud to have a mage in the family. Leaena was the first in two generations and to them it made her survival even more miraculous, a sign from the Maker that she had been saved for a higher purpose. They saw it as a blessing from the Maker and urged Leaena to make the most of the opportunity to delve deeper into scholarly study and observe the hierarchy and operation of the Circles.

Although a noble title is supposed to be left at the door of the Circle, the reality is far from that. Ostwick was a relatively small community, where Leaena had already received instruction from half the Templars in post prior to her arrival. Her transition from home to Circle apprentice was not nearly as painful as the horror stories made it out to be – a point of major resentment for some. With her elder brother in Templar training and the Knight-Commander as part of the Treveylan’s advisors, Leaena was frequently allowed visits home and even to take some friends with prior approval of the First Enchanter. Although she missed Cadan greatly, she felt the separation less than he due to her new focus through her magic, whereby she also learned to visit him in her dreams, utilising that unique bond twins have with one another.

**Ostwick Circle**

Ostwick Circle was sedate and relaxed in comparison to its neighbour Kirkwall. First Enchanter Keverne Ryall was a foresighted man and Knight Commander Mellyn Dowell was a distinguished, focused Templar with mages in her own family, bitterly opposed to the tactics being employed by Knight-Commander Meredith. By the time of the Kirkwall revolt, mages had not visited Kirkwall’s circle for over a decade.

Leaena later discovered that Kerverne and Mellyn had been lovers for decades.

Both First Enchanter and Knight Commander sought to provide a peaceful, collegiate atmosphere for their charges to develop cordial relations between Templar and mage and give space for quiet contemplation and study. The First Enchanter strove to show that magic and mages could be trusted, given the right conditions and education of commoner, Templar and mage alike. It turned out that Ostwick was far ahead of its time, but as Leaena realised later, they utilised and promoted the image of it being a sleepy backwater deliberately. This enabled them to promote mage rights and education of obscure schools of magic far more effectively away from the eyes of Val Royeaux.  

For all their efforts, however, the Circle was still seen by many mages in Ostwick as a prison where the Templars ruled supreme. This was particularly true for mages of Dalish origin. Leaena was close to two Dalish mages, one of whom escaped and the other who was killed during the Mage-Templar war.

**Growing Up in a Circle**

Privileges were earned by students and, although Leaena did receive some special consideration as she saw her family so frequently, by no means was she singled out for special attention and had to work every bit as hard as anyone else. Despite this (and given the ease with which she was accepted into the Circle), she frequently faced accusations of favouritism and special treatment. Leaena became increasingly isolated the more talent she displayed. While Ostwick was one of the more relaxed Circles, power struggles between mages and apprentices remained common.

In spite of the bullying, Leaena found it useful to play the part of pampered, spoilt noble whilst an apprentice and then as an Enchanter. It provided her with a cover in a Circle which became increasingly divided in the events preceding the Mage-Templar war. Being taken from her family, even in a relatively benign fashion, had hardened her, and because of her noble birth she was immediately and negatively judged as a result.

Leaena demonstrated an extraordinary aptitude for magic, and her love of frost and ice spells led her to specialise in that area. She rapidly mastered other schools, notably a few healing and barrier spells, but her proficiency with Winter was her preferred method. She continued with her combat training at the special request of her parents, and often could be seen sparring with her brother and other Templars. She passed her Harrowing in record time and at the very young age of nineteen, rising to become Senior Enchanter at 26, one of the youngest ever in the Circle.

**Anxiety Disorder and Trauma**

She suffered abuse from a Senior Enchanter at Monsimmard Circle. Leaena had been part of a study programme delegation to the other Circle, befriending the older woman and seeing her as a mentor figure. Vivienne de Fer saw Leaena as a future potential rival for power instead, and arranged for her Templar lover to seduce Leanea and subsequently disgrace her. She was caught by the First Enchanter and Knight Commander of Montsimmard. With no further ceremony she was dragged to the Harrowing Chamber to be made Tranquil, an act only prevented at the last second by Trystan bursting into the room and throwing a dagger at the Knight-Commander’s wrist. Her father and the Ostwick Knight Commander rescued her from the dungeons of Montsimmard a week later.

The event had a significant, traumatic impact on Leaena. Combined with nearly a decade of bullying, Lea developed severe anxiety and paranoia. In extreme situations she self-harms to reduce her panic attacks to a bearable level, using pain as a mode of self-control.

**Mage-Templar War**

Her parents recognised the signals of upheaval and massive change for the Chantry, Templar Order and Circles. Leaena was one of the Circle’s most foremost battle mages and before the Conclave, was about to undertake her Knight Enchanter training, allowing her to progress to the very highest ranks of the Circle. Her training was stopped due to the onset of war. Combined with her undeniable beauty, wit and diplomacy, as well as her significant political ties, it was no surprise that she was selected to join the First Enchanter, Knight Commander and a select group to represent Ostwick at the Conclave.

Leaena was close to the Templar Order – her brother was Knight-Captain, she had grown up around them and numbered some of them as good friends. Ostwick’s progressive approach to Templars and mages working closely together providing some positive results with magical research and also seeing some of the lowest rates of ‘hunted’ mages – the Circle in Ostwick was a place to receive sanctuary and support, not fear and oppression.

She wasn’t ignorant to the issues between mages and Templars, however. She agreed with the First Enchanter and Knight Commander that neutrality was the only safe course to adopt during the rebellion, with Ostwick striving to provide an example of how a successful Circle could be run in partnership and being a voice of reason. Yet she also recognised that such a hopeful approach was probably doomed to failure, there being too much anger on both sides for reason to prevail. Furthermore, with Ostwick having a lower profile than other Circles, their word would not carry much weight.

Leaena didn’t understand how Keverne could have such an optimistic, idealistic view of the rebellion which had swept southern Thedas with such ferocity. Lyrium-crazed Templars and mages suddenly granted freedom after a lifetime of oppression was a poor mix. Mellyn too was at the end of her career, lyrium close to claiming her wits. She should have been put to pasture years ago but Trystan, now Knight-Captain, declared too young to take over, despite there being other examples of young Knight-Commanders such as Cullen Rutherford in Kirkwall.

The truth was, of course, that the First Enchanter couldn’t bear to be parted from his love, a flaw Leaena recognised and swore over her long years in the Circle never to succumb to.

Leaena also witnessed the dark side of the Templar order and the obsessive focus on lyrium. She saw the change in her beloved brother Trystan as he now regularly imbibed a drug that really people knew so little about. Cadan had shared with her how lyrium eventually broke Templars, the blue vials used by the Chantry to keep Templar where they wanted them. Whilst she had been confined to a Circle for most of her life, Lea recognised the power imbalance that existed for both mages and Templars. Lea had never joined the sects mages affiliated themselves with, preferring to remain independent of the often petty politicking. She believed wholeheartedly in mage freedom and transformational reform of the Chantry. Mindful of her own safety, she held her own counsel as Kirkwell fell, reasoning her moment would come when she could press home her opinions to her advantage.

Leaena and Trystan had little faith in the First Enchanter’s lack of planning for the disaster bound to occur. When Ostwick eventually fell, she was ready, having organised an escape plan in secret with her family. She was the first to sound the alarm as an unknown Templar force crested the hill, hell bent on purging every single mage and the last to leave the Tower. It was Leaena who ensured the last of the apprentices, Tranquil and servants had a chance to escape to the safety of the Treveyan estate. Bann Alan had raised the standard, now commanding a small army, and it would have been a lunatic who decided to assault his estate. Only a few mages and Templars deserted their colleagues, with many choosing to remain. Still, the attack was far stronger than had been anticipated. Leaena fought side by side with Trystan on one side and Cadan on the other as they maintained the escape route for everyone to go through.

**Friendships and Romance**

She travelled regularly to other Circles and spent several months at a time in Denerim to further her studies into combat magic. She became close friends with Freya Amell. Through both Cadan and Freya, Leaena became close to King Alistair as well. She harboured a long-time unrequited love for the king, unbeknownst to either of her friends, something that she finally put to one side a year before the fall of Ostwick Circle.

Leaena, as she grew older, wielded sex almost as a weapon, a tool to secure her position and status in the Circle. She refused to ever be put into a vulnerable position after the events of Montsimmard, and trusted only her family, Alistair and Freya. Be it man or woman, if she felt sex could be used to her advantage, she would exploit the potential to the full. In her rapid rise to Senior Enchanter, she broke several hearts along the way, gaining her the mocking title of Ice Princess. After her first mistake, she stayed clear of Templars – although she remained unwillingly, and unconsciously, drawn to the forbidden nature of such a relationship.

**Cullen and Leaena pre-Conclave**

As a mage from Ostwick, Leaena has known of the infamous Knight-Captain from Kirkwall for many years. His promotion to Knight-Commander following the explosion of the Chantry was widely discussed between the Templars and mages in her Circle. Trystan also knows Cullen well.   


End file.
